NASHVILLE — Louisiana Music Hall of Famer Amanda Shaw has officially released her long-awaited full-length album, Rhythm of My Roots, available everywhere now. Marking her first album in six years, the project is both a homecoming and a creative leap forward, blending the deep traditions of Cajun music with the expansive storytelling of modern Americana.
Produced by Kent Wells, longtime collaborator of Dolly Parton, Rhythm of My Roots captures the spirit of Louisiana while pushing Shaw’s sound into new territory. The album builds on a foundation of fais do-dos, Cajun two-steps, and New Orleans funk, layered with elements of country, rock, and pop to create something entirely her own.
“This album is really a reflection of where I come from and who I’ve become,” says Shaw. “The roots are Cajun. The message belongs to everyone.”
Across its 10 tracks, Rhythm of My Roots is anchored in community, culture, and identity. After spending time working in Nashville, Shaw found herself even more deeply connected to her Louisiana upbringing.
“Leaving here made me more inspired about being from here,” she says.
The album opens with its vibrant title track, a celebration of Louisiana hospitality featuring Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. and accordionist Anthony Dopsie, immediately setting the tone for a record rooted in joy, culture, and connection.
One of the album’s most electrifying moments comes with “Pothole Mouth,” a high-energy collaboration with Grammy-nominated New Orleans funk band Cha Wa. Blending Mardi Gras Indian chants, second-line rhythms, Cajun dancehall energy, and Nashville polish, the track is a vivid reflection of Louisiana’s musical melting pot. Inspired by a real-life New Orleans moment, the song captures both humor and authenticity, turning a shared local frustration into a celebration of culture and resilience.
On “Before Katrina,” Shaw delivers one of the album’s most emotionally resonant performances. The song operates on two levels: a personal story of heartbreak and a broader reflection on the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, ultimately becoming a tribute to the strength, memory, and rebuilding spirit of New Orleans.
“This song is about so much more than a relationship,” Shaw says. “It’s about the places we once knew, the moments frozen in time, and how Katrina took more than homes, it took entire worlds. But it also showed us our strength and determination to carry us forward.”
Shaw also reimagines the iconic “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” flipping the beloved classic on its head by telling the story from the woman’s perspective. Featuring Garth Brooks’ longtime fiddle player Jimmy Mattingly, the track blends nostalgia with a fresh, empowered narrative.
“I’ve always loved this song, but I kept thinking about the girl on the other end of that phone call,” Shaw says. “This version finally gives her a voice.”
Amanda Shaw Feat. Cha Wa – “Pothole Mouth” (Official Music Video)
Elsewhere on the album, Shaw continues to expand her sonic range. “Crescent City Connection,” co-written with Jon Cleary, leans into a heavier, rock-influenced sound, offering a bold contrast to her traditional roots while reinforcing her versatility as an artist.
The previously released single “Buy Myself” serves as a defining statement of the album’s emotional core, pairing Shaw’s signature fiddle with a message of independence and self-worth.
“‘Buy Myself’ is independence with a Louisiana backbone,” Shaw explains. “I grew up around strong women who didn’t wait for permission. They worked hard, loved hard, and stood on their own two feet. That spirit is in this song.”
With Rhythm of My Roots, Shaw bridges generations and genres, honoring the culture that shaped her while expanding into a broader Americana and roots-rock space. The result is a record that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant.
For longtime fans, the album is a return to the heart of Shaw’s sound. For new listeners, it serves as an entry point into a genre-defying artist whose authenticity and musicianship set her apart.
“The album just sums up this feeling of growing up here, having such a great community,” Shaw says. “And I think that’s the biggest reflection of this record.”
From national television appearances on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to stages across the country, Shaw has spent over two decades bringing Louisiana music to a global audience.
With Rhythm of My Roots, she steps fully into a new chapter, one that solidifies her place not only as a torchbearer of Cajun tradition but as a defining voice in the evolving Americana landscape.
TRACK LISTING
- Rhythm of My Roots (Feat. Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr., Anthony Dopsie)
- Pothole Mouth (Feat. Cha Wa)
- Bad
- Callin’ Baton Rouge (Feat. Jimmy Mattingly)
- Greedy
- Before Katrina
- CCC
- Mrs. Me – Lagniappe Sessions
- Buy Myself – Lagniappe Sessions
- Clean Up Good – Lagniappe Sessions
AMANDA SHAW ONLINE
WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC
UPCOMING SHOW DATES
- 5/19 • Amanda Shaw: Rhythm of My Roots Album Release Experience · Nashville, TN
- 5/29 + 5/30 • Michael Arnone’s Crawfish Festival – Augusta, NJ
- 6/6 • Creole Tomato Fest · New Orleans, LA
- 6/14 • Tipitina’s · New Orleans, LA
- 7/3 • MS Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo · Gulfport, MS
- 7/4 • Louisiana America 250 Celebration · Baton Rouge, LA
- 8/21 • River City Roots Festival · Missoula, MT
- 9/12 • Ground Zero Blues Club · Biloxi, MS
- 10/1 • Rockin’ The Rails · Covington, LA
- 10/10 • Shrimp Fest · Gulf Shores, AL
- 10/11 • Bayou Jam · Slidell, LA 10/23 • Mandeville LIVE! · Mandeville, LA
- 10/24 • Back to the River Fall Concert Series · Gretna, LA
- 10/25 • Washington Parish Fair · Franklinton, LA
- 11/7 • Beignet Fest · New Orleans, LA
- 11/13 • The Lobby Lounge @ The Harbor Center · Slidell, LA
Media inquiries:
Natalie Bailey | natalie@ladysavagemanagement.com | 615.955.1022
About Amanda Shaw:
Cajun influence is integral to understanding Amanda Shaw’s music, but her sound is all her own. A fiddle player since childhood, she grew up in New Orleans with early years steeped in both fais do-dos and a vibrant mélange of jazz, blues, funk, and rock ‘n’ roll. By the time she was 15, Shaw had a record deal with Rounder Records, and in the years since, she has appeared as part of a number of notable pop culture touchstones, including Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, the Today Show’s Roker-thon, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. She is the recipient of prestigious honors including the Big Easy Award for Best Female Entertainer and is a Louisiana Music Hall of Famer.